In this Sept. 14, 2012 file photo, Japan’s opposition Liberal Democratic Party presidential candidates, former Prime Minister Shinzou Abe, left, and former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, applaud during an official announcement for the race in Tokyo. Four lawmakers vying for leadership of Japan’s main opposition party have promised to protect Japan’s control of islands at the center of a territorial furor with China. AP/Junji Kurokawa, File

TOKYO— Four lawmakers vying for leadership of Japan’s main opposition party have promised to protect Japan’s control of islands at the center of a territorial furor with China.

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe blasted China at a press conference Wednesday after anti-Japanese riots flared across China. He says that if Beijing can’t protect Japanese living in China it “should not enjoy membership in the international society.”

The conservative Liberal Democratic Party chooses a leader Sept. 26. The winner may become prime minister if the LDP wins elections that the prime minister has said he will call soon.

Former defense chief Shigeru Ishiba says that “losing a piece of the territory eventually means losing the whole country.”

A fifth candidate, Nobutaka Machimura, was hospitalized Tuesday for exhaustion but remains in the race.

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akoombulator

we should join forces against this bully who doesn’t know how to handle power

Marx Louis Wang

Tell Trillanes to lead the forces. He just made a statement that nobody from the PH cares about Panatag shoal.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AR3F3RNQX4U3PKBI526NJI6BYM Jose

See the difference… It’s the attitude of the leaders and citizens that makes other nations respect if not defer to them. China is bent on pursuing their claim however absurd it may be to all of China Sea, Japan is bent on preserving their claim on an uninhabited island then come some of us Pinoys already giving up territories where our fishermen draw their livelihood without even a whimper. As often said one gets what he deserved – that is what he is willing to fight for, even respect.

Marx Louis Wang

You may be right. It was planned to send 100 Filipinos riding on small boats to go to Panatag but that was disapproved to deescalate the tension. Out fight for the shoal is very strong such that we don’t need to wrestle our military might(?). We tried to work on this issue peacefully but because China thinks their military is much much more powerful so that they tend to ignore us. Now they are using UNCLOS against Japan but not us because they are not gonna win it. They insist on unilateral talk so they can bully us more. THEY CANNOT EVEN AFFORD TO MAKE WAR we us because that would mean triggering our mutual treaty with the US. Would you sacrifice all our few warships to counter China’s? West Philippine Sea is not part of the mutual defense treaty with the US. You see US is neutral on this issue but if China invades us, that is another story. The problem here is that UN would not recognize our dispute using UNCLOS because China refuse to listen to it. It is like somebody got raped (PH) and reported the case to the police department (UN) but was ignored because the alleged rapist (CHINA) would not show up to defend himself being the rapist.

belairskycrapper

….. isolate china from the rest of the world. china have done enough damaged to
almost all nation with their cheap and inferior commercial qualities …..

justyouraveragechinoy

Japan should just move all its factories/plants from China to the Philippines to teach them a lesson, they may lose China but in return China’s unemployment will also impact its’ economy.

kalikasanipagtanggol

Japan should start rebuilding its military capabilities to protect the country and its teritories! They are capable and China should not provoke Japan!

Wake_Me_up

If I were Aquino I will have a meeting with the Japanese leaders to discuss the potential of the Philippines to accept all those factories that will be displaced because of Chinese atrocities!